Switch lock



April 1 1930. v. v. PROFFEN 1,752,613

SWITCH LOCK Filed May 6, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .P 1'Offen By ao/ZihAttorney Patented Apr. 1, 1930 PATENT OFFICE VLADIMIR V. PROFFEN, OFSEATTLE, WASHINGTON SWITCH LOCK Application filed May 6, 1929. SerialNo. 360,842.

The present invention relates to a lock for the starter switch ofautomobiles and the like having for its prime object to provide a meansfor locking the starter switch against use by unauthorized persons.

Another very important object of the invention resides in the provisionof a switch lock of this nature which is simple in its construction,comparatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to apply, easy tomanipulate, not likely to easily become out of order, thoroughlyeflicient and reliable in use and operation.

With the above and numerous other objects in view, as will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention resides in certain novel features ofconstruction, and in the combination and arrangement of parts as will behereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the lock showing the same on the starterswitch.

Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the device,

showing the cover plate removed.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal section there through taken substantially onthe line 44 1 of Figure 3.

" be seen that the numeral 5 denotes an arcuate or semi-circular jaw,outwardly from the center of which is a handle 6. Radially from the endsof the jaw 5 extend ears 7. Bars 8 extend at right angles from the ears7 in an opposite direction to the handle 6 and has stops 9 intermediatetheir ends and stops 10 on their ends. Ratchet teeth 11 are formed onthe bars between the ears 7 and the stops 9.

A casing is denoted generally by the letter C and comprises a bottom 12with side walls 14 rising therefrom, an end wall 15 rising therefrom andan end wall 16 rising therefrom. The end wall 15 has an intermediatearcuate or semi-circular jaw portion a with radial end extensions 5formed with notches 17 to slidably receive the bar 8. Ears 18 extendinwardly from the side walls 14 and have notches 19 to receive the bars8 between the stops 9 and 10. Arms 20 extend inwardly from the end wall16 and diverge from each 0th or and have attached thereto the ends ofspring shanks 21, the other endsof which terminate in pawls 22 normallyengaged with the ratchet teeth 11 to prevent the bars from being pulledoutwardly from the casing. A spring 23 impinges against the pawls tonormally extend them apart and hold them in engagement with the teeth11. Loops 24 are formed on the inner sides of the pawls and havinginclined portions 25. A slide 26 is mounted in the casing and hasoppositely disposed arms 27 with upstanding fingers 28 within the loopor frame 24,- so that when the slide is pushed toward the wall 15, thefingers engage the portions to swing the pawls toward each other and outof engagement with the ratchet teeth 11. The slide 26, by means of aspring 30 is held in abutment with a lock 28 of the key operated typeand formed with an eccentric cam 29. Obviously by putting the key in thelock 28 and turning it in the direction of the arrow 31 in Figure 3, thecam may be brought into engagement with the slide 26 and move it towardthe wall 15 for moving the pawls 22 out of engagement with the ratchetteeth 11, so that jaw 5 may be moved away from the jaw a. Springs 33 aredisposed about the bars between the ears 18 and the stop 9, to push thejaws a and 5 apart automatically when the pawls 22 have been disengagedfrom the ratchet teeth 11. A handle 34 projects outwardly from the wall16 of the easing 15. The cover plate 35 is fixed on the a casing 3 andhas its lugs 36 and 37 disposed in notches 19 and 17 respectively forholding the bars firmly in place.

From the above detailed description it will be seen that by turning thelook so that the jaws 5 and a are in sepa 'ated condition, the lock maybe placed over the head 38 of the switch of the device 39 and then thejaws may be moved toward each other and the ratchet teeth will beengaged by the pawls to prevent the jaws from being moved apart untilthe pawls are released by the lock. Thus when the device is positionedin this manner, it is impossible to depress the head and it thereforemakes it impossible to operate the starter in the usual well knownmanner. In this way the person when leaving the car parked for anylength of time may prevent unauthorized persons from using the car.

It is thought that the construction, utility and advantages of thisinvention will now be quite apparent to those skiiled in this artwithout a more detailed description thereof.

The present embodiment of the invention has been disclosed inconsiderable detail merely for the purpose of exemplification, since inactual practice it attains the features of advantage enumerated asdesirable in the statement of the invention and the above description.

It will be apparent that changes in the details of construction and inthe combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafterclaimed or sacrificing any of its advantages.

I claim:

1. A device of the class described comprising a jaw, a pair of barsextending from the jaw, a casing, said bars being slidably mounted inthe casing, said casing having a wall forming a jaw, pawls in thecasing, ratchet teeth on the bar, means normally urging the pawls intoengagement with the ratchet teeth, said pawls having spring shanks,means for anchoring the spring shanks in the casing, a slide, keyactuated means for moving the slide, frames on the shank, arms extendingfrom the slide, and having fingers engaged in the frames so thatmovement of the bars will cause disengagement of the pawls from theratchet teeth.

2. A device of the class described comprising a aw, a pair of barsextending from the jaw, a casing, said bars being slidably mounted inthe casing, said casing having a wall forming a jaw, pawls in thecasing, ratchet teeth on the bar, means normally urging the pawls intoengagement with the ratchet teeth, said pawls having spring shanks,means for anchoring the spring shanks in the casing, a slide, keyactuated means for moving the slide, frames on the shank, arms extendingfrom the slide and having fingers engaged in the frames so that movementof the slide will cause disengagement of the pawls from the ratchetteeth, spring means associated with the bars to normally hold the jawsseparated.

3. A device of the class described comprising a jaw, a pair of barsextending from the jaw, a casing, said bars being slidably mount ed inthe casing, said casing having a wall forming a jaw, pawls in thecasing, ratchet teeth on the bar, means normally urging the pawls intoengagement with the ratchet teeth, said pawls having spring shanks,means for anchoring the spring shanks in the casing, a slide, keyactuated means for moving the slide, frames on the shank, arms extendingfrom the slide and having fingers engaged in the frames so that movementof the slide will. cause disengagement of the pawls from the ratchetteeth, spring means associated with the bars to normally hold the jawsseparated, a handle extending outwardly from the first mentioned jaw,and a handle extending outwardly from the end of the casing remote fromsaid jaws.

4. In a device of the class described comprising a jaw, a pair of barsextending from said jaw, a casing, said bars being slidably mounted insaid casing, said casing having a wall forming a second jaw, pawls inthe casing, 'atchet teeth on said bars, spring means normally urging thepawls into engagement with said ratchet teeth, a spring pressed slidemember mounted in said casing, an operating connection between saidslide member and said pawls for urging said pawls out of engagement withsaid teeth against the action of said first mentioned spring means, andkey actuated lock means controlling said slide.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

VLADIMIR V. PROFFEN.

